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3232Scala: The Open Source Language You Need in 2018https://yoppworks.com/scala-the-open-source-language-you-need-in-2018/
Thu, 23 Aug 2018 13:53:48 +0000http://yoppworks.com/?p=28334Scala made ripples in the programming industry the year it was launched back in 2001, forcing the market leader, Java, to work for its competitive edge. To this day, Scala continues to be a force to be reckoned with, used by experienced functional programmers to manage big data

Scala: The Open Source Language You Need

in 2018

Scala made ripples in the programming industry the year it was launched back in 2001, forcing the market leader, Java, to work for its competitive edge. To this day, Scala continues to be a force to be reckoned with, used by experienced functional programmers to manage big data. Scala’s popularity has been limited to the programming world. It is known for its steep learning curve, accompanied with a breadth of training materials. But that’s not the case anymore –programmers are realizing how easy it is to learn, especially for those with experience using Java. Programmers are acknowledging how much better Scala is compared to any other open-source programming languages. Unsurprisingly, Scala is predicted to be one of most valuable programming languages in 2018.

Scala – the bastion of power

One of the main reasons Scala has been gaining popularity is due to its powerful functional programming features which competitors lack. Scala is closely integrated with JVM and Java, making it extremely familiar for developers proficient in Java. But why switch to Scala when you have Java? In layman terms, if Java is the intermediate level of programming, Scala constitutes the expert level of functional programming. So, if you wish to take your programming skills up a notch and increase your competitive edge, Scala is the language for you.

What makes it so unique?

Scala was founded on the idea that in order to build a truly practical language, they had to bring together object-oriented models with functional programming concepts. As Martin Odersky puts it, “Objects and functions play extremely well together; they enable new, expressive programming styles which lend themselves to high-level domain modeling and embedded domain-specific languages.” Even further, we believe Scala is the most suitable open-source programming language for Big Data manipulation. Using Scala in big data programming models reduces the size of the program while making the entire process more precise and efficient. Due to Scala’s unique and dynamic structure, large companies such as Twitter, Starbucks, and Foursquare have ported a vast segment of their code base to Scala. With Big Data taking the business world by storm, it is predicted that Scala will grow exponentially. As demand for big data solutions grows exponentially, developers are making the move to Scala, and are reaping the benefits of participating in one of the highest paid programming occupations in technology. Because let’s face it, specialty skills net big paychecks.

How do you get started?

Lucky for you, you’ve come to the right place! YoppWorks has a plethora of training courses which break Scala down to the basics. YoppWorks is a strategic partner of Lightbend technologies and offers the only Platinum Training Platform in North America. This means that we can provide you with all the training help you need, in person – or right from your computer. YoppWorks Training Courses equip you with all the knowledge in an expedited timeframe. Our seasoned trainers are here to help you grasp this technology, giving you a competitive coding edge. Sign up for our Scala professional training or expert training, based on your expertise level. Don’t miss out on learning the most useful open-source language and sign up now to become one of the select few programmers with expertise in Scala!

Register now:

Reactive Architecture – Professional

Lead by: Reid Spencer, Technical Team Leader at YoppWorks

September 17 – 19, 2018, 9am-5pm EST

The Lightbend Reactive Architecture course teaches teams – from development managers to architects to software developers – how to think about and leverage Reactive architectures from design through to production operations.

YoppWorks Announces Platinum Sponsorship | Scala Days 2018

It was announced today that YoppWorks is officially going to be a platinum sponsor at Scala Days 2018! This conference will be held in Berlin on May 14th-17th and in the heart of New York city on June 19th – 21st 2018.

Scala Days is a global conference held by our partners at Lightbend. This year, attendees are excited to hear that Martin Odersky, the creator of Scala will open Scala Bays Berlin with a keynote on May 15th and a keynote on June 19th. To the delight of many attendees, Odersky will also be collaborating with conference guests and sitting in on some technical talks.

At both Scala Days events, beginner, intermediate and advanced sessions will be held to suit all levels of expertise. This means that if you’re just new to Scala or live, breathe and yodel in this language, you’ll find something to enjoy! Scala days is nothing short of a collaborative and exciting event sparking discussion from open source enthusiasts and experts around the globe. In addition to the keynote sessions being held throughout, industry speakers from enterprises like Google, Microsoft, AT&T, Tesla and Netflix will be discussing their developments using Scala.

Discover the full Scala Days New York and Scala Days Berlin agendas, and remember to take advantage of the additional learning opportunities available through their pre-event hands-on workshops, including:

]]>IBM & YoppWorks Partnership Announcementhttps://yoppworks.com/ibm-yoppworks-partnership/
Tue, 20 Mar 2018 23:59:43 +0000http://yoppworks.com/?p=27646It was announced today that IBM has partnered with YoppWorks to use predictive and cognitive analytics in open source technologies. Using YoppWorks services and Watson integration, IBM plans on expanding their ecosystem using YoppWorks expertise

Investing in Open Source: YoppWorks Announces Partnership with IBM to expand capabilities in Predictive and Cognitive Analytics

YoppWorks announced today a partnership with IBM to expand its Open Source solution offerings to include IBM Application Platform and Hybrid Data Management. IBM has demonstrated their commitment to continue investing in open source technologies with their recent partnership announcements with Lightbend and Hortonworks which positions YoppWorks as an ideal systems integration partner.

YoppWorks is a recognized Canadian leader in the open source community, dedicated to open source technologies from inception. YoppWorks is passionate about delivering responsive, resilient and message driven applications using the Lightbend Reactive Platform and Hortonworks DataFlow and Data Platform technologies.

The partnership with IBM will allow YoppWorks to create repeatable solutions involving IBM Products and YoppWorks services including implementation, training, and support.

Large enterprises and start ups are quickly adopting open source technologies as the platform to create more resilient systems and to deliver more value to their customers. Having IBM, the proven solution provider for all mission critical systems, adopt Open Source validates the importance and benefits of these technologies for their customers. YoppWorks is well positioned to help IBM transform their customers from legacy to new reactive and fast data driven architectures.

The core core values of Open Source are integral to the YoppWorks culture where every voice counts and now with IBM we can share the benefits with many more customers.

“We are very pleased to announce our partnership with IBM. Attending the Think conference this week in Las Vegas has provided us with a good understanding of the tremendous technology expertise and sales and marketing capabilities of IBM. There is a reason they are the largest IT company in the World and working with them to expand the adoption of Open Source technologies with Lightbend and Hortonworks will create a groundswell in the industry.” – Jack Gulas, YoppWorks CEO

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]]>Introducing YoppWorks Reactive ATIhttps://yoppworks.com/reactive-ati-blog/
Wed, 28 Feb 2018 15:43:49 +0000http://yoppworks.com/?p=26737YoppWorks Reactive ATI is designed to be a concise and repeatable methodology that provides very specific deliverables to our customers. Reactive ATI provides guidance and the type of information needed to further important decisions in reactive architecture practices. Reactive ATI is also designed for enterprises that have already tried to deploy reactive architecture in the past, but who haven’t achieved the benefits that they expected.

At YoppWorks, if there’s something we’ve always been excited about, it’s staying on top of new technologies and adopting change in the open source market. As we’ve gone through our journey, we’ve been exposed to the vast dynamics of running a software-driven company. As a part of our own business model and how we offer solutions, we often bridge the gaps and challenges that our customers face on a day to day basis. This is why we’ve designed YoppWorks Reactive ATI!

One of the major challenges that we’ve seen our customers overcome is deciding how to navigate the reactive world. Like our partners at Lightbend, YoppWorks help customers introduce themselves to modern software development practices through our consulting, training and solutions. Lightbend, is a pioneer in this paradigm shift and provides insightful guidance that enterprises need in this reactive world. At YoppWorks, we know that organizations want to adopt reactive platforms and get very excited about microservice architectures, but often don’t know where or how to get started. This is where Reactive ATI comes in.

What is Reactive ATI?

YoppWorks in partnership with Lightbend has developed a productized service offering that consists of three very important phases:

Phase 1: Assessment

Phase 2: Training

Phase 3: Implementation

Reactive ATI is designed to be a concise and repeatable methodology that provides very specific deliverables to our customers. Reactive ATI provides guidance and the type of information needed to further important decisions in reactive architecture practices. Reactive ATI is also designed for enterprises that have already tried to deploy reactive architecture in the past, but who haven’t achieved the benefits that they expected.

No matter the scale of your company, when approaching reactive solutions, it’s essential for contributors to see and understand how they would design and build something that has a clear ROI (Return on Investment).

“It takes time to succeed because success is merely the

natural reward for taking time to do anything well.” – Joseph Ross

Throughout numerous customer engagements, we’ve found that companies are at different points of maturity to adopt a reactive architecture. As opposed to the traditional mindset of “let’s start and deploy!”, Reactive ATI recognizes that organizations need time to discuss where to best deploy this architecture. In evaluating any new technology, it’s really important to have a strong starting point. Reactive ATI offers three key Deployment Phases:

Design > Build > Run

In order to get into these phases properly, having a real understanding and roadmap of what it is that you’re trying to accomplish is critical. Most importantly, Mike Kelland (VP of Services at Lightbend) notes that “Reactive ATIenables Lightbend customers to kickstart their journey and build a roadmap for success”.

What is the Lightbend Maturity Model?

The Lightbend Maturity Model is designed to be an in-depth look at the adoption of new technologies throughout the transformation process. As Mike Kelland explains, certain organizations in the industry are known as digital natives.

These organizations tend to have digital transformation as part of their DNA. This simply means that companies like this are built on the idea that they have to continuously disrupt themselves. Digital natives that share this methodology would be companies like Twitter, Google, and LinkedIn. These are the kinds of companies that have the ability to quickly implement new technologies in an ever-changing ecosystem and get them out the door.

If you’ve been paying attention to trends in the digital landscape, this is where technology and software is going. Mike notes that “We’re moving to this world where everyone has to be a software first company. In the Lightbend Maturity Model, we set you up with the difference between what you’re doing today and what a digital native is doing.”

With the Maturity Model and Reactive ATI, we can understand how willing your organization is to adopt new ideas and what that roadmap would look like. From here, Mike Kelland goes on to mention that Lightbend comes up with a Maturity Model using their own stack. This helps to place your organization on that scale: from traditional business (where software isn’t the main focus) all the way to Digital Native. See general maturity model scale below:

It’s important to note that where you are in terms of your organization’s maturity makes a big difference in how you should try and adopt these technologies. It’s also important to note that you’re not going to jump from a Traditional Business to a Digital Native without properly pulling the right levers to get there. Reactive ATI determines what the key levers are to pull yourself up effectively on this scale. We’re dedicated to determining what it is that is going to enable your enterprise to become highly successful.

Assessment:

The Assessment Phase is designed to be an on-site engagement where we would send a YoppWorks architect directly to a customer’s location to coordinate with the sponsor. During this engagement, our architect will spend time with various stakeholders as well as the development team to gather their insight and better understand the current development process.

During this phase, our interests specifically surround architectural tooling and current deployment practices while simultaneously providing a holistic examination of your software practice. This includes Team Structure, Planning and Design, Development, Release, Architecture, Tooling, Code and all of the details in between.

Where is the value in Reactive ATI?

The business value is all about driving your project. In order to achieve business value with software, Mike Kelland points out that you need to be responsive. This means that no matter or what, it’s essential to respond to a user or a client. “These systems need to scale up and scale down. If there’s a loss or a failure in any component of the system, we maintain that responsiveness and continue to deliver the business value.”

The only way to a achieve elastic and resilient systems is through a message-driven architecture. If you don’t have a well-designed message-driven architecture in the background, we can’t hope to achieve true elasticity or true resiliency. Therefore we lose our responsiveness and lose true business value. As Mike puts it, “this is why Reactive ATI makes sense.”

Training:

For the second phase of Reactive ATI, we engage in Training. During this phase, the same YoppWorks architect(s) will then work with you the following week to do an onsite training engagement. As Jack Gulas, YoppWorks CEO explains “What’s really cool about this course and why it aligns to Reactive ATI offering is that it’s not just a technical course, it’s a holistic approach to reactive architecture.” Part of this approach is that students will design a reactive application with the YoppWorks architect(s) and would analyze a sample domain. Once complete, the organization would compare this to how they traditionally build monoliths. Another cool feature about the training component is that Reactive ATI takes the time to go over the overall benefits of this new architecture from at a business level as well as a technical one.

At the very least, it’s clear that Jack and Mike are extremely excited to stand behind a training course that plugs a real hole in the industry. Something that moves away from the traditional use of data. Today, there is a shift in the interest of streaming the contextual use of data. The industry demands the understanding of microservice based environments that are highly agile and flexible, able to be changed. This is what Reactive ATI can offer.

Implementation:

During Implementation (which will consist of approximately 1 week’s worth of effort), our YoppWorks architect will guide the steps for rolling out a reactive architecture. This phase has the flexibility of being done on-site or remotely. During this phase, we will also teach you how to maximize the benefits of the technology components within your report. This will help you leverage the steps and recommendations as to where to start within your own capacity.

Implementation is designed to be an efficient and repeatable step. During this phase, it is up to each enterprise to decide which levers they want to pull to begin the transition of their own reactive architecture. YoppWorks architects will be available during each step of this phase to ensure smooth transitioning and maximum benefit.

“You owe it to yourself to take a deep look at this Reactive ATI process just so you can come up with an assessment of whether or not this is going to fit into your environment.” – Mike Kelland, Lightbend’s VP of Services

Beyond the tech and all the buzz, how does Reactive ATI help my business?

To bring Reactive ATI into a comparison of real-life use cases we will bring your attention to a particular use case as discussed at the Reactive Summit in Austin Texas this past September. (For confidentiality purposes, we will refer to this large company as “Company X”)

In this use case “Company X” was able to demonstrate the reward that can be given when you properly plug your business into the world of modern software development of Lightbend technologies. Some would argue that they broke the model in this particular case. “Company X'”s goal was to increase the number of people who bought things off of their website. They were able to build a well thought out reactive system that was very snappy, message-driven and reactive with this massive load. This implementation lead to 1.6x more conversions on the website. In other words, they had a 197% increase in sales. The most incredible part of this use case was that they were able to save over 4000 hours of development time during implementation.

As Mike Kelland puts it, “This is why we call this a bit of a software revolution.” The way that “Company X” was able to evaluate a technology and approach had a direct impact on their conversions. They gave it a shot and the benefits that flowed from that were exponential. From a technological standpoint, they had incredible agility in their model and to do this, they created a clear and concise starting point. This is the type of inspiration that we are using to build Reactive ATI. Beyond the technology, this is where the true value lies.

How do I know that Reactive ATI is a true Reactive Solution?

In short, it’s no surprise that the Reactive terminology is something that Lightbend pioneered. But if we take a step back in time 2 or 3 years ago, this wasn’t a term that was used very often. Today, it’s everywhere. Even wider than that, we’re now in a world where there is a massive consolidation of data in the cloud and a need to serve massive amounts of people. What we’re seeing now is that everyone is calling themselves “Reactive”.

One of the challenges with this is that there are people who do truly have strong implementation and others who are just jumping on the bandwagon. To determine true validity, when looking at these Reactive Solutions, these solutions have to be message driven. This is the core of reactive systems and how it ensures that you’re building something elastic and resilient.

“This creates the ability to build a system that doesn’t have any kind of blocking or tight integration between various different components. So if you’re making a method call, or a rest call or other ways to communicate between systems, ensuring that system is not relying between its components on the delivery of a message or on the resolution of a call and you can truly build a system that is asynchronous and that each component of the system is isolated in the system in a way that it can operate independently. Without that kind of architectural outline, you can’t fulfill all the tenants of the reactive manifesto and you’re not going to get all those benefits.” – Mike Kelland, Lightbend

Going through Reactive ATI, allows you to deeply understand this and will help you to evaluate how those solutions are going to benefit your environment.

]]>8 Predictions of Future Programming Based on 2017 Trendshttps://yoppworks.com/8-predictions-of-future-programming-based-on-2017-trends/
Tue, 24 Oct 2017 21:19:20 +0000http://yoppworks.com/?p=26691The programming of the future is sure to be different than that of the past, in many ways, and is being shaped by the trends of today. From new languages to functional programming and the use of big data, there are bold predictions swirling about the field of computer programming. Here are eight of them that paint a detailed picture of what may be to come.

Computer programming involves writing instructions that a computer system follows, or writing and testing the code for software and applications. In accomplishing these tasks, programmers must learn languages such as C++, Java, or Scala. Some of the job responsibilities are similar to those of software developers. They include modeling and planning the way in which code will be written.

Programmers often work with integrated development environments and are involved in building, fixing, and modifying:

Computer operating systems

Social networking applications

Software-as-a-Service solutions

Automated internet search platforms

Artificial intelligence programs

Voice recognition systems

The programming of the future is sure to be different than that of the past, in many ways, and is being shaped by the trends of today. From new languages to functional programming and the use of big data, there are bold predictions swirling about the field of computer programming. Here are eight of them that paint a detailed picture of what may be to come.

1. Scala Will Become More Mainstream

Released in 2003, after design efforts began in 2001, Scalable Language or Scala is an object-oriented programming language that is interoperable with Java. A program written in this language will run in any environment that Java runs in, making it highly versatile. The similarity makes it attractive to programmers. Capabilities include support for functional programming (which will be highlighted next) and compatibility with algebraic and anonymous data types.

Operator overloading, raw strings, and named parameters are available, although Scala can run on a Java Virtual Machine that doesn’t include these functions. It supports cluster computing as well. Yoppworks offers classes and training on building applications using this language with Akka, an open-source toolkit. It enables developers to create software applications on their computer, so long as they have access to the internet.

Applications developed in this manner are efficient and easily scalable, further boosting the appeal and potential of Scalable Language.

Functional Programming

This method of programming uses declarative statements and expressions, focusing on mathematical functions to define statements. It is based somewhat on lambda calculus. Despite being rooted in a system developed in the 1930s, the concept is now looking like a fundamental one for writing the code of the future. Many programming courses including Yoppworks educational classes, are focused on this idea because of these predictions.

2. Functional Type Programming Will Be the Basis for Writing JavaScript

However, it won’t be limited to HTM, imperative object-oriented, or other singular aspects of code writing, but for drafting entire sets of code. Some elements from the past are no longer necessary and many, in fact, have become irrelevant. Tools for creating more legible code are available that work with the advanced computer power of today. Programmers can write shorter, less complex code for higher-order tasks and by combining fundamental functions.

For those who want to learn to program, this means learning new strategies than computer programmers just a few years ago did. Fortunately, the training resources and education are available with our expert team at Yoppworks.

3. Programmers Will Become More Dependent on Functional Languages

The concept supports running sections of software in parallel, across different machines and CPU cores. That eliminates the need for complex synchronization. Therefore, Web requests and other functions requiring concurrent processing can be better managed. The trends also affect programmers of smartphone applications, interconnected devices, and servers that support the interactions between them.

Languages such as Scala, Haskell, and Clojure have not only grown in popularity but are expected to continue to as the demands for flexible, functional programming expand.

Open Source

Open source software has already dominated the computer programming world. Vast networks of professionals and other enthusiasts have collaborated to make application solutions better. One can access code and modify, copy, and share it. The Apache HTTP Server, Firefox, MySQL, and Perl are all examples of open source programs.

4. Apache Spark Will Dominate Data Processing

Datasets are becoming increasingly larger, but this open source framework uses fault tolerance and data parallelism to allow programming on a different level. It provides an interface for programming data clusters. Built by software developers from more than 200 companies, Apache Spark’s features are supportive of big data processing.

It runs on any platform and is speedier than other solutions; in fact, it is 100 times as fast as Hadoop clusters. The same data can be used to execute multiple jobs, thanks to in-memory data sharing and cyclic data flow, demonstrating the platform’s potential as the demand for faster data processing accelerates.

5. Open Source Won’t Only Be an Interest to Programmers

Programmers love to tinker with open source, but they and people taking computer programming courses at Yoppworks won’t be the only ones interested in the concept. Already, we are all using open source software when we visit websites, stream music, chat with friends, and check email. It’s used to route and transmit data, right down to the core of today’s communication infrastructure, which is based on remote computers, mobile phone applications, and Web browsers. Remote computing, or cloud computing, is increasing in importance and is sure to continue to as we rely more on internet-connected devices.

6. The Preference for Open Source Software Will Be Ubiquitous

The concept appeals to many different types of people. It gives them control over code. Even non-programmers can make use of the software because they can tweak it to their needs, rather than use it as marketed. The appeal is also growing because such software is easier to study than other types; for example, students can share their work while developing their skills. Open source has changed the way people learn computer programming, right down to sharing mistakes to help others avoid them.

Fixes, updates, and upgrades can be made without the permission of original programmers. Quick fixes can mean software is more secure. Also, since programmers tend to work on open source software over the long term, they can depend on these tools without them becoming obsolete. Therefore, reliance on open standards may mean more product stability than with many proprietary software tools.

Big Data

Scala, the programming language used to write Apache Spark, and which is used for building applications with Akka, is part of this movement. Aside from fueling the demand for related programming courses, this has even more potential impacts on the future of programming. These points below highlight both the future and what is happening now.

7. Big Data Adoption Is No Longer Limited to Analytics

Not too long ago, IT departments were focused on using big data for analyzing network activity, usage, and security, among other things. Today, the applications are increasingly driving the demand in all industries. Many analytical processes will still require vast quantities of data, but big data’s application in banking and securities, communications and entertainment, healthcare, education, manufacturing, retail, government, energy, insurance, and transportation give it leverage that computer programmers cannot ignore.

8. Big Data Is Fueling the Potential for AI and Machine Learning

There is a connection with the emergence of data virtualization, as big data analytics are possible in real time without moving any information. Data resources don’t even have to be in a single repository. The future looks brighter than ever for artificial intelligence and machine learning. Both depend on data to build predictive models that could be used to support a device’s potential for autonomy.

Predicting security issues before they happen is another possibility. This is significant, given the vulnerability of the Internet of Things. Big data and relevant programming techniques may keep hackers away from home security systems, automotive electronics, and even toys as cybercriminals seek new ways to obtain data and disrupt lives.

We, therefore, predict programmers will implement artificial intelligence and machine learning to solve some of today’s most pervasive computing issues.

The tools, technologies, and resources available today will have a profound impact on future programming. It’s also easier than ever before to obtain training. From the basics of functional programming to specific languages such as Scala, you can learn from the comfort of your own home. For more about the latest online programming courses, contact YoppWorks at 1-888-322-6002 or browse our online training options today.

]]>Why Functional Programming Is Importanthttps://yoppworks.com/why-functional-programming-is-important/
Fri, 06 Oct 2017 17:23:58 +0000http://yoppworks.com/?p=26630Functional programming is an important programming language in today’s evolving technological app development landscape. It is different from imperative and object-based programming methods. However, functional programming can be a better solution for solving different problems when new apps and codes need to be created.

Functional programming is an important programming language in today’s evolving technological app development landscape. It is different from imperative and object-based programming methods. However, functional programming can be a better solution for solving different problems when new apps and codes need to be created.

If you are just starting to learn to program, it can be very confusing as to which programming language is best to use. Some online articles you encounter freely interchange object-oriented and imperative programming, so it is easy to assume these are the same thing.

The confusion arises if object-oriented languages are designed to support both object-oriented programming and imperative programming. Some even now support functional programming, too, so, while they may be called object-oriented apps, they can support a wide range of programming methods.

In addition, while programming languages can share similar ideals, there are slight variances between them. Understanding how these are different really comes down to the type of programming method being used, as this will affect how data is processed and the types of output you desire.

What Is Functional Programming?

Functional programming relies on developing code where you have a fixed set of items. As the code evolves, your only requirement is to want to add new operations to the existing code. In other words, you could add new functions to the existing code, but you do not have to alter the structures of the existing code or their functions.

The functions within the program utilize declarations or expressions rather than actual statements. The easiest way to think about this is to use your mathematics courses where you learned about functions. If you remember, you had a particular function (f) and some variable (x) that could change.

You evaluate the function based on the input (i.e., x variable) and compute the result using the function, such as f(x) equals some output value. As such, it is possible to nest functions within functions to manipulate data, such as in data compilers or when using a “tree-form” data structure.

What Is Imperative Programming?

Imperative programming, on the other hand, requires the use of different statements to change the state of the program. Each statement can alter the data as it is evaluated by the program. Each statement is processed in order and follows a specific sequence until reaching the end of the statements, and the result is output.

What Is Object-Oriented Programming?

With object-oriented programming, there are objects that must be defined by a series of statements, resulting in fields, which may or may not contain data values. This type of programming is useful when comparing data fields or when you want specific objects to interact with each other. In addition, object-oriented programming can incorporate imperative programming methods.

Why Should You Use Functional Programming?

To illustrate why you should use functional programming, let’s look at an analogy about a factory assembly line to show how functional programming is different from imperative programming.

In a functional programming factory, the assembly line would always build the same thing, but on different assembly lines. In this case, the parts and components needed to build the item would remain constant, but the way they were assembled could vary based on which assembly line they went down.

In the imperative programming factory, the items would be assembled on the same assembly line, but what you build would change. In other words, the parts and components required to build finished goods would be different, depending on what you want to build that particular day.

The benefit of the functional programming factory is if you needed to build more items on multiple assembly lines. It would be easier to “program” variances between each assembly line using a functional program.

The benefit of the imperative programming factory is if you constantly changed parts and components but always used the same assembly line. It would be easier to “program” new parts and components into the system using this programming language.

Which Programming Method Is Best for Your Business?

The key thing to remember is there are programming courses which distinguish between developing either functional programming skills or imperative/object-oriented skills, yet which incorporate certain features of one or other. So, it is not a matter of how a program was initially developed and for what language or programming method.

Rather, imperative and functional programming techniques can be applied to the development of code for many different types of programs. For instance, Java, C++, PHP, and Perl were developed based on using imperative programming. However, as functional programming has evolved, these programs have the flexibility to also be used to develop programs using functional concepts.

Furthermore, Scala, which was developed primarily as a functional programming application, incorporates several different aspects and features you would typically expect to find in an object-oriented/imperative programming app. These features can make it easier to learn computer programing for those people who already have a solid background in imperative or object-oriented programming.

In the end, it is about developing your skills to determine which programming method would be the best solution for development and coding projects. How you build your code and organize the style of the program will greatly influence the end result.

If your skills are not as good as what they should be or your structure too sloppy, then the end result will also be of a lower quality. Therefore, it will not really matter what programming method you used if you lack the proper training and skills.

That being said, the amount of data today is constantly and continuously growing. As a result, organizations of all sizes are in need of functional programming solutions capable of compiling the data into different useful formats and outputs. As such, it will be important for new programmers to learn to program using functional programming, as well as to have solid skills in imperative programming and object-oriented programming.

What Benefits Does Functional Programming Provide?

Functional programming offers several benefits over traditional paradigm-style programming. With paradigm programming, the data must be processed in a specific format before another set of data can be processed or a problem solved. This can result in much longer data processing times compared to using functional programming.

Functional programming uses a parallelism-style of data processing. This type of computing is where multiple calculations and pieces of data can be processed simultaneously. Larger processes are able to be broken down into smaller ones, as well, with each process being worked on all at the same time.

Data streaming also requires functional programming for it work effectively. Data streaming is much like the digital streaming services you use to watch your favorite movies and TV programs. As the data is called up by the program, it is streamed to it so it can be processed.

With more and more companies storing data in the Cloud, data streaming is becoming a standard practice. Paradigm-style programming cannot efficiently process streamed data as well as functional programming. In addition, both parallelism and data streaming are essential components of big data processing.

Furthermore, machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) rely upon functional programming methods. These methods allow machines to process data and provide solutions to problems quickly, while also being able to adapt and learn at the same time.

As you can see, functional programming is more beneficial when working to solve modern problems, process big data, and help make advances in machine learning and AI.

How Can YoppWorks Help You?

Open-source toolkits are becoming quite common in the field of programming. These toolkits often incorporate functional programming languages like Scala. To be truly innovative and creative, you will need proper training by completing computer program courses teaching you how to effectively use and apply functional programming to develop new programs to solve different problems and challenges.

YoppWorks offers classroom-based training courses to help you learn how to use functional programming apps and toolkits. Our training classes are designed for programmers who already have a background in Java, C+, C#, or Ruby.

In cases where you are not familiar with programming languages, yet have a need to develop new solutions, YoppWorks offers professional consulting and software development services. Options range from providing mentorship and consultancy to project delivery and project augmentation.

Mentorship and consultancy services are well-suited for businesses of all sizes that are not sure how to tackle a problem or do not know which type of programming solution would be best for their business.

Project delivery services are recommended for businesses that do not have their own in-house programmers. In this case, you can think of YoppWorks as your own professional and private programmers that serve as an extension of your business.

Project augmentation services are ideal for businesses that already have existing programmers, but which require additional help to deliver the project on time or lack expertise in functional programming.

To learn more about functional programming and how this language can be an appropriate solution to resolve a wide array of modern business and data challenges, please feel free to contact YoppWorks at 1-888-322-6002 today!

]]>The Keys to Success in Open Source Software Developmenthttps://yoppworks.com/keys-success-open-source-software-development/
Fri, 22 Sep 2017 15:10:29 +0000http://yoppworks.com/?p=26538In today’s economy, business needs are constantly evolving, and technology must keep up with them. Unfortunately, proprietary software holds many organizations back, denying them the flexibility and adaptability needed to cope with changing priorities and needs.

In today’s economy, business needs are constantly evolving, and technology must keep up with them. Unfortunately, proprietary software holds many organizations back, denying them the flexibility and adaptability needed to cope with changing priorities and needs.

Open source software, of course, is computer software that has its code available to parties other than the original developer to study, change, and distribute to others. Copyright holders of open source software typically make their work available with licenses, which provide third parties with the right to use and change the source code, but may also impose some limitations, such as a requirement to preserve the name of the original authors and copyright statement within the code. With the help of YoppWorks professional training, open source software such as Scala, Akka, and Spark are available to any individual interested in broadening their knowledge.

Open source software development provides companies with the individualized answers they need to the challenges they face. While many organizations still lean toward proprietary software, a growing number of organizations are embracing open source software development. In fact, most of the technological devices you use every day—mobile phones, computers, etc.— use at least some form of open source software.

Analysts at Gartner, a leading information technology research and advisory company, say that 85 percent of companies are currently using open source software to some degree, and most of the remaining companies intend to do so within a year.

In 2016, the federal government implemented a program requiring agencies to release a fifth of any new code they develop as open source software. Big companies are also increasingly coming to love open source, as Walmart recently released an open source cloud management system and ExxonMobile has released an open source developer toolkit to promote standard data formats among oil and gas companies. Big corporations are hiring more open source software developers and hiring consultants to provide programming courses to existing staff. YoppWorks provides quality programming education and experienced consultants for anyone or business that is interested in a highly reactive, easily scalable and extremely flexible software development.

Advantages of Open Source Software Development with YoppWorks

Open source software offers business and other organizations many advantages over more buttoned-up proprietary software solutions. Some of the advantages of open source software learned through YoppWorks programming courses include:

Quality – Having the ability to tweak and refine software rather than having to just accept it as-is out of the box and wait for updates to fix problems allows open source users to more rapidly address problems. Many open source software projects have vast communities of developers constantly testing and tinkering with the code. This democracy of talent often catches flaws or realizes possibilities that a small team of developers would miss. The end result is a better-quality software product.

Customizability – Open source software can be customized to meet the individual needs of businesses, allowing them to develop functionalities their users need while pruning off unneeded functions. Customization allows businesses to get exactly the features they need—a tremendous help in obtaining the best value from their software.

Transparency – Users of closed source software have only their vendors’ assurances that the software is secure and is operating as promised. Knowledgeable users of open source software can see for themselves whether the software is performing as promised.

Interoperability – Open source software provides greater ability to work with systems and applications used by other organizations than proprietary software does. Open source software was designed to be adjusted and tweaked. Making it work with another set of software is often simple for experienced programmers.

Cost – Open source software is often much less expensive than proprietary software. Nearly all open source software is free. Maintenance costs are the major expense involved in using open source software.

Support – Proprietary software can be frustrating when you need support, as many software makers don’t have the staff to quickly resolve your issues. This is where open source software has a big advantage. Because so many people are taking apart and putting back the code every day, there is a huge pool of talent to turn to when a problem arises with open source software.

Longevity – If the company you bought your proprietary software from goes out of business, you lose a variety of important features and services, including patches, bug fixes, support, updates, and more. Open source users can always hire a consultant to fix or upgrade their software or teach staffers programming courses so they can handle the work.

Challenges to Using Open Source Software

Like any technology, there are some vulnerabilities and obstacles associated with using open source software development. For businesses and organizations just diving into open source software development, it helps to work with YoppWorks consultants who can help personnel learn computer programming and other skills needed to mitigate these problems.

Some challenges many organizations face when using open source software development include:

Licensing – Open source projects do need a license to establish distribution policies and how others can use the software. Openness is helpful; a Wild West approach is not. Developers need to understand and agree to your project’s license.

Security threats – This potential problem is probably the No. 1 reason that some organizations are wary of open source development. Because it’s easy to tinker with open source software, that makes it vulnerable to attack. Smart organizations know how to combat this problem by creating a robust and secure underlying framework and by having competent developers capable of responding to security threats.

Technical support – Many open source projects require fast and responsive technical support. While the open source community can help, the company developing the software still needs to be on the ball when dealing with the problems that can crop up in open source development.

Platform compatibility – Not all application platforms are capable of running open source software. Many application platforms are only compatible with software made or approved by the creator of the platform. Organizations considering an open source software development project need to consider a variety of application platforms to find the one that’s best for their project.

Obtaining pre-release reviews – Unfortunately, not many people want to be the guinea pig when it comes to open source software projects, making pre-release reviews hard to conduct. Good marketing efforts before the release of open source software can help increase participation in pre-release reviews, which are all-important for finding bugs.

The rewards of using open source software in your organization far outweigh the risks, as this software can drastically improve the efficiency of your business and reduce software costs.

Leading Open Source Tools

If you’re ready to take advantage of the versatility and other benefits open source software development can provide, learning about some of the best open source tools YoppWorks offers courses in and how your business can utilize them will help you make the best choices going forward.

Scala – Scala provides a concise programming language that’s compatible with Java. Scala has a number of advantages over Java, however. Scala is tighter than Java, allowing programmers to do more with less code. It has readable syntax features that make it easier to understand and use. Because Scala requires less coding than Java, time to completion of products is greatly reduced. It’s also much easier to test programs written in Scala than Java.

Fast data – Fast data is a quick and adaptive means of analyzing the deluge of data now available to companies and organizations. Fast data differs from big data in that big data examines a large amount of data gathered over time to make predictions, spot problems, and identify trends. Fast data is more reactive in that it analyzes large amounts of data as it is incoming, allowing more rapid identification of emerging trends and immediate action to respond to these developments. An open source solution that incorporates fast data can provide powerful results to businesses, as it will provide them with a flexible, scalable means of analyzing important incoming data in real time.

Hadoop – This is an open-source Java programming framework that is used to run applications supporting the processing and storage of big data in a distributed computing environment. One of Hadoop’s key benefits is that it is very scalable—organizations using it can add servers to increase the amount of data their system can handle. Hadoop also has a high level of fault tolerance, as the computing resources it uses are spread out among many machines. Hadoop is the backbone of many large data gathering operations.

For companies ready to embrace open source software development, partnering with a company that can help mentor your staff through computer programming courses, and which can provide other related services, will help your efforts be more successful. YoppWorks is a company committed to helping businesses and organizations use open source software to more efficiently meet their needs. YoppWorks is partnered with Lightbend and Hortonworks, the developers of Scala and Hadoop, and provides development, consulting, and training services.

]]>Francis Toth Presents: Functional Programminghttps://yoppworks.com/functional-programming/
https://yoppworks.com/functional-programming/#respondWed, 02 Aug 2017 14:09:09 +0000http://yoppworks.com/?p=26319In this presentation, you will learn the fundamental principles of Functional Programming. We will tackle this paradigm in a very practical way and avoid going into obscure Mathematical theory.

In this presentation, you will learn the fundamental principles of Functional Programming. We will tackle this paradigm in a very practical way and avoid going into obscure Mathematical theory. We will first cover the very basics (expressions, referential transparency, purity, onion architecture,…) and then move to other concepts such as Functors, Applicatives and Monads. This talk mostly targets beginners but requires a good knowledge of basic programming concepts. All the examples will be in Scala, but knowing the language is not an absolute requirement.

]]>https://yoppworks.com/functional-programming/feed/0What Is Functional Programming?https://yoppworks.com/what-is-functional-programming/
https://yoppworks.com/what-is-functional-programming/#respondWed, 02 Aug 2017 15:23:21 +0000http://yoppworks.com/?p=26323The modern programmer needs to be versatile. It’s crucial to be able to adapt your programming style on the fly and be familiar with a broad range of programming applications and concepts if you want to work in the high-demand field of computer programming.

If you’ve ever sat down and attempted to learn computer programming on your own, then you’re aware of the sheer amount of information available online. It can be a little overwhelming to sift through the many tutorials, opinion pieces, and online programming courses available today. If you don’t have a large amount of programming experience, it can be difficult to parse helpful information from the unhelpful, especially when it comes to an oft-misunderstood paradigm like functional programming.

The modern programmer needs to be versatile. It’s crucial to be able to adapt your programming style on the fly and be familiar with a broad range of programming applications and concepts if you want to work in the high-demand field of computer programming. YoppWorks provides live online programming courses along with virtual and onsite training for businesses and individuals around the globe, giving programming professionals and employees of the tech industry a leg up when it comes to remaining competitive and getting the job done.

There’s a lot of misinformation and oversimplification out there surrounding functional programming and what sets it apart as a concept and programming approach. Here, we’ll discuss some of the applications for functional programming, as well as how it differs from other imperative-based programming paradigms. If you want to learn to program and remain competitive in the workforce, this is a great place to start.

Functional vs. Imperative Programming

Before you can gain an understanding of functional programming, it’s important to grasp how it differs from imperative, or procedural, programming. Most mainstream computer programming languages, especially object-oriented programming interfaces such as C#, Java, C++, and Visual Basic, are designed primarily to support imperative programming; when you think of computer programming in the general sense, you’re almost certainly thinking of imperative/procedural programming.

With imperative programming, each statement entered by the programmer modifies the state of the program. It’s the simplest concept of computer-programmer interfacing; the person behind the keyboard enters a series of commands to be carried out by the computer, much like the imperative mood in spoken language is used to delineate verbal commands. The statements as entered by the programmer are executed in sequence in order to reach a certain goal.

Object oriented imperative languages are beneficial when you’ve got a fixed set of operations on things, with new things added as the code evolves over time. New classes can be added that implement extant methods, without modifying any of the existing classes or commands.

To use the kitchen as a metaphor, a useful scenario for visualizing imperative programming would be to observe the operations of food preparation (bake, broil, sauté, microwave, refrigerate) as a fixed set of action circumstances into which new and disparate data (the food itself) can be entered over time. The operations don’t change much, but the things might; you might use a common ‘bake’ capability to make both a cake and a pizza, but the things involved in each process (ingredients, cook time) are different.

Functional programming, on the other hand, is used ideally when you have a fixed set of things and primarily add new operations as the code evolves. New functions can be added to work with existing data types, without modifying the existing functions. They excel when it comes to data manipulation in tree form and are widely used by compilers and others, due to the easily nested nature of the programs themselves.

A functional programming kitchen analogy would be akin to a personal chef who always prepares the same lasagna but in different kitchens—the things, in this case, ingredients (noodles, water, sauce, mushrooms, and parmesan), are relatively static, but the operations (bake, broil, grill, sauté) and their specifics vary greatly based on the kitchen.

Both approaches to programming have strengths and weaknesses. In the object oriented imperative kitchen, it can be incredibly tedious and time-consuming to add a new operation (i.e., deep fry), as this often requires editing innumerable class definitions in order to make the new method workable. In the functional kitchen, where operations vary but ingredients often don’t, it can be extremely cumbersome to edit the function definitions and add a new ingredient (i.e., onions) to the recipe.

Anyone who wants to learn to program in today’s world would benefit from a solid understanding of the differences and similarities of these two types of programming.

Object oriented imperative programming offers the programmer easy control over encapsulation, allowing control mutation of the internal state, and subtyping, which allows substitution of compatible types and implementation inheritance.

Functional programming, on the other hand, can allow substitution via the more general mechanism of type classes, where a mutable internal state is not desirable.

Languages and Definitions

Since its inception, functional programming has found more of a home in data management and academia than its imperative counterparts, which are considered more useful for commercial software development. That said, viewing imperative vs. functional programming as a zero sum, either/or scenario is not necessarily the best method by which to understand their differences and similarities.

While most programmers and online programming courses differentiate between imperative and functional programming based wholly on languages (“C++ is a purely imperative language, Common Lisp is a purely functional language), this is not an entirely accurate or helpful approach. ‘Functional’ and ‘imperative’ refer more to the style and philosophy behind a program’s construction and execution than the languages in which they are written.

For example, a functional programming style can be accomplished to great effect within languages that were not specifically designed for the paradigm. The Perl and PHP languages, for instance, were both designed with imperative programming in mind but have been widely used to apply functional programming concepts.

Other imperative languages, such as C++11 and Java8, include newly added constructs to facilitate a functional programming style. On the other hand, Scala, which is most frequently associated with the functional programming style, includes the presence of mutable state and side effects which are typically considered aspects of object oriented languages.

The bottom line is, whether you’re using a programming language designed for imperative programming or one geared toward functional applications, it all comes down to the way you work as a programmer and how you build your programs. Imperative style programs and functional style programs are both only as good as the writing and organization behind them; if your build is sloppy, the end result will be sloppy regardless of which philosophy you adhere to.

Master Your Voice

If there’s one thing that a little research into functional programming makes clear, it’s that computer programming courses and one-on-one instruction are crucial when it comes to developing and implementing new concepts. Wading through forums and comment threads to figure out a workaround for a newly encountered programming problem can derail your entire process and cause unnecessary frustration and work delays.

For programmers who are trying to stay on the ball and develop a solid grasp of both functional and imperative programming concepts, continuing education is important.

The certified Lightbend trainers at YoppWorks understand what it means to be current in the world of technology and programming. Programming courses through YoppWorks are designed to provide trainees with a working command and eventual mastery of their chosen applications, and they are useful for companies and individuals who wish to become and remain competitive. Our classes encompass the Scala, Akka, Play, and Apache Spark frameworks, and we are the only Platinum training platform in Canada.

Our YoProfessors are dedicated to empowering programmers through certified classes and instructor-led live online training. Let us help you or your organization reach the next level on your open source journey by scheduling courses with YoppWorks; our flexible virtual delivery options are designed to cater to your needs and meet you where you are. Contact us today.

]]>https://yoppworks.com/what-is-functional-programming/feed/0Getting Started with the Akka Frameworkhttps://yoppworks.com/getting-started-akka/
https://yoppworks.com/getting-started-akka/#respondTue, 01 Aug 2017 15:58:37 +0000http://www.yoppworks.com/?p=407Akka is framework for writing highly concurrent, distributed and fault-tolerant applications. Though written in Scala, it’s usable in Java as well.

Akka is framework for writing highly concurrent, distributed and fault-tolerant applications. Though written in Scala, it’s usable in Java as well.

Akka is based on the Actor model, where we have message passing between actors with immutable state. Message passing between actors can be achieved using either the tell or ask pattern. In the tell pattern, messages are fired without waiting for response, while in the ask pattern messages are sent with a response expected in future. In Akka messages are sent asynchronously, in non-blocking fashion. One other feature of Akka is actor supervision and monitoring. With actor supervision, a parent actor watches it’s children for exceptions that can result in either restart, resumption, or stoppage of the child actor. The exception can also lead to escalation of the exception to the parent of the parent actor. Another feature, closely related to supervision is deathwatch. In this situation, an actor simply watches an actor marked within it, which may not be a child actor, for termination, and perform appropriate action if the actor terminates. These features represent the fault-tolerance feature of Akka. Another consideration in Akka is how does actor locate one another in case where they are on the same JVM or different JVMs running on same or different nodes. Akka solve this problem using a feature know as location transparency. Location transparency enables actors to work agnostic of where the messages they receive come from. In this tutorial, we explore examples with the message passing between actors using either tell or ask pattern, supervision, and location transparency.

Message Passing

Actors are created either as direct child of ActorSystem or actor context. So, in the first case, to create an actor we first create the ActorSystem, and then we obtain a reference to the actor by using the actorOf property of the ActorSystem. Actors are not accessed directly but through their ActorRef. This is illustrated below:

In the illustration, we created a child actor which when it receives a “Greet” command responds by sending the received message back to the sender using the tell pattern. To run the application, we created created an object that extends App, and within it we initialized the ActorSystem and obtain the ActorRef for our childActor. After, we send a message to childActor using the tell pattern. Being a tell pattern the message is fired without waiting for responds. To show the same program using the ask pattern we proceed as follow:

When the supervisor sends the error message, the child actor receives the message and throws an exception, which is detected in the supervisor and appropriate action is taken

Location Transparency

Location transparency enable actors to work regardless of whether the message they receive originated from a sender in the same JVM as the receiving actor or different JVM, which could be on the same node or different nodes. The location of the remote actor only need to be specified through a configuration file, application.conf as shown: